Stepladder



y 1939- L. MOHR 2,156,397

STEPLADDER Filed May 11, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l Z .1. o o /g y Inventor lewz's l- By Attorneys y 1939. L. L.IMOHR 2,156,397

1 STEPLADDER Filed May 11, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor lewalslw/llolr A ttomeys Cir ' Patented May 2, 1939 "ATENT OFFEQE STEPLADDER Lewis L. Mohr,

Philadelphia, Pa.

Application May 11, 1938, Serial No. 207,398

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a stepladder of the folding type, the general object of the invention being to provide means for controlling the folding and unfolding of the ladder by levers and springs so that the ladder can be quickly and easily folded and unfolded, the lever which releases the ladder from folded position and permits it to unfold being actuated by the foot.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:-

Figure 1 is a side view-of the improved ladder showing the same in unfolded or open position.

Figure 2 is a front view of the ladder.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side view showing the parts in folded position and held in said position by the stepladder.

Figure 4 is a section on the line l-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary edge view of one of the rear legs of the ladder showing the keeper member.

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Figure 2.

In these views the letter A indicates the front member of the ladder which is provided with the steps a and has its upper end connected to the top member B and 0 indicates the rear member which is composed of two uprights and cross pieces, as usual, the two uprights being pivotally connected to the top member B as shown at b.

At each side of the ladder a pair of links I and 2 are arranged, these links being pivotally connected together adjacent one end as shown at 3 with the links I having an extended part 4 overlapping the lever 2 when the links are open, to prevent further downward movement of the links beyond open position. The link 2 at its rear end is pivotally connected to an intermediate part of a leg member of the portion C as shown at 5 and the front end of each link I has a square hole therein for receiving the square end of a shaft 5 which extends between the uprights of the front member A and is rotatably supported 1n said member. A coiled spring I surrounds a part of the shaft 6 and has one end fastened to a bracket 8 fastened to the shaft and its other end passes through the eye of an eye bolt 9 which passes through one of the steps a and has a nut Ill threaded thereon. By turning this eye bolt the tension of the spring l can be adjusted. A lever H has a square hole in one end for fitting on a square end of the shaft 6 so that when the lever is moved the shaft will be partly rotated, any suitable means being provided for holding the links I and lever H to the shaft.

A bracket I2 is fastened to the lower end of one of the upright members of the front part A and a lever I3 is pivoted to the bracket and said part of the leg member as shown at M. This lever has a beveled rear end l5 and a notch I 6 adjacent the bevel for engaging a keeper stud I1 connected to the opposite leg of the rear member C.

Thus when the ladder is closed or folded the notch It will slip over the stud ll and a spring l8 under the upper portion of the bracket l2 holds the lever IS in latching position. Then when the ladder is to be used it is simply necessary to press with the foot upon the front end of the lever l3 which will release the lever from the stud I! and then the rear member C will swing to open position, as shown in Figure 1 and as this takes place the two sets of links I and 2 will assume the position shown in Figure 1 and thus hold the ladder in open or unfolded position. Then when it is desired to close the ladder the lever' II is pressed downwardly which will rotate the shaft 6 and raise the links I so that the ladder can be folded and as the front and rear members A and C come together the lever l3 will engage the keeper stud I! thus the two parts will be latched together as shown in Figure 3. The spring 1 tends to open the ladder bytending to press the links l and 2 downwardly.

Thus I have provided simple means whereby a stepladder can be easily opened and closed and by this invention one need not put a bucket, broom or the like down while opening the ladder as the ladder can be opened by simply pressing upon the lever I3.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A stepladder comprising pivotally connected front and rear members, a shaft journalled on the front member, a link fixed on said shaft, means operatively connecting said link to the rear member, a coil spring encircling the shaft and having one end anchored to the front member and its other end anchored to the shaft for actuating said shaft in one direction for swinging the rear member away from the front member, and means on the shaft for manually rotating same in the opposite direction and against the tension of said coil spring.

2. A stepladder comprising pivotally connected front and rear members, said front member including a step, a shaft journalled transversely on the front member beneath the step and adjacent thereto, a link fixed on the shaft, means operatively connecting said link to the rear member, an eye bolt adjustably mounted on the step, a coil spring encircling the shaft and having one end portion engaged in the eye bolt for adjustably securing this end of said coil spr'mg to the step, means securing the other end of the coil spring to the shaft for rotating said shaft in one direction for swinging the rear member away from the front member, and a lever fixed on the shaft for rotating said shaft in the opposite direction.

LEWIS L. MOI-IR. 

